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Alumni

Full-Circle Moment: Communications Alumna Finds New Role at Rowan as Parent Advocate

Posted on January 23, 2020July 25, 2023by Christina Lynn

Wilson Hall, on the campus of Rowan University

Two generations of #RowanPROUD alumni live in the Wilner household.

Lisa, from West Deptford (Gloucester County), earned her degree from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) in Communications — with a minor in Advertising and concentration in Marketing — in 1986. Her son, Ben, graduated with a Music degree in 2018 and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in Higher Education at the College of Education.

Bunce Hall at Rowan University — Lisa Ann Wilner graduated from Glassboro State College, now Rowan University, in 1986.

Lisa’s seasoned career included high-level management roles among nonprofits such as the Children’s Miracle Network and the Arthritis Foundation and production credits for Warner Brothers and Suburban Cable (now Comcast).

“I had access to things because Rowan was on my résumé,” Lisa said. “At that point I was competing with students from Syracuse and other [top-tier communication] schools.”

When it came time for her son to choose a college, Lisa’s alma mater was one of a few on Ben’s radar. He was also accepted to nearby Temple and received scholarship money from several other universities. But it was a chance meeting with John Woodruff, director of the Academic Success Center, that changed everything for Ben and soon, for Lisa, too.

“When [Ben] came to the Accepted Students Reception, and he sat down with John, he said, ‘They have the support systems here that I need to be successful.’ And obviously there are because he graduated magna cum laude,” Lisa proudly shared.

As a student with disabilities, Ben required individualized help for his specific needs, and the Academic Success Center was there to guide him. He utilized extra test-taking time in the Testing Center and sought the help of an academic coach. The Academic Success Center coordinated with the the Music department, which took great care in pairing Ben with an appropriate advisor. Lisa also noted that although Ben ultimately opted to commute, the Center had matched him with a roommate.

“These are steps above and beyond that Rowan does. What I have seen here through the Academic Success Center has just been outstanding,” she said.

Lisa is a featured speaker for the Academic Success Center’s College Prep Transition Conference and a parent network member with Rowan’s Autism PATH program, which aims to strengthen employment outcomes and networking opportunities for neurodiverse students.

Lisa and Ben Wilner, both Rowan alumni, at their home — Ben Wilner ’18 (left) and Lisa Ann Wilner at home. Ben is pursuing his master’s degree at the College of Education. Lisa speaks at parents’ groups and conferences for Rowan’s Academic Success Center.

“What I’ve seen [at Rowan] in the last four years, as a parent who sat through IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meetings for 14 years … I have never seen services like exist here. They may exist at other places, but it’s done right here. I talk to parents’ groups. Ben talks to high school students for New Jersey’s Dare to Dream conferences every year. He talks to students and says ‘You can go to college, this is the route to get there.’”

Lisa shared that, through his own academic advisor experience, Ben enrolled in the Higher Education advising track program so he could help fellow students down the road. In addition to his coursework, he’s now working as a part-time academic advisor at an area community college. She said there is “no doubt in [her] mind” Ben will find employment after earning his graduate degree this spring. Lisa also hopes Ben will eventually complete his doctorate in music theory after his successful undergraduate work in Rowan’s “incredible” music program.

“Rowan’s growth and support of all students make me incredibly proud to be an [alumna],” she said.

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Alumni

Higher Education Master’s Program Sounds Like Sweet Success For Rowan Music Alum Ben Wilner

Posted on January 22, 2020September 5, 2024by Christina Lynn

Future college students will be fortunate to have Ben Wilner as their academic advisor.

The Gloucester County native and aspiring academic counselor, who will complete his master’s degree in the College of Education’s Higher Education track this spring, didn’t initially set his sights on the program until his own interaction with an advisor.

“He’s been nothing but a huge help during the undergraduate process,” Ben says. “I want to give back because of my experiences in the undergraduate setting.”

Ben Wilner on the first floor of James Hall Ben graduated magna cum laude from Rowan’s highly competitive Music program after what he revealed was a difficult transition to college life as a student with disabilities. He’s now empowered to “inspire students with disabilities to stay in college, so they can break obstacles to get where they need to go in the college setting because I’ve broken every obstacle up until this point,” Ben explains.

Ben says he wouldn’t be in college without a love of music, for which he’s a triple threat in voice, guitar and piano. He had just graduated from high school to pursue music at Rowan when the overwhelm set in.

“I overcame it that first semester, and my entire undergraduate years I got help when I needed it and asked for assistance for the resources I need to obtain, like the Disability Resources office [also called the Academic Success Center] or academic coaching or my professors,” Ben says. “I always say to have connections with your professors. I feel like this transition showed me that it’s a lot different.”

After his first semester, Ben, working with the Academic Success Center, met regularly with his academic coach, who he says honed his writing, editing and organizational skills.

He also registered with the Testing Center, which he says helped him with both test-taking and studying. The Testing Center was “welcoming and allowed me to do my tests and quizzes in a quieter space,” Ben adds.

Ben Wilner standing on the third floor of James Hall Ben’s academic career flourished after that first semester. He joined the Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society and Sigma Alpha Lambda, a national leadership honor society. He presented at Rowan’s College Prep Transition Conference, which offers workshops and tools to support students with disabilities and their families as they head toward college life.

His own advising experience, along with the guidance he received through the Academic Success Center, pivoted Ben’s career path from music to counseling. He’s applying his graduate coursework to an internship this year with the Academic Success Center, working with students who may be struggling as he once was — which speaks to why he’s so passionate about his future career:

“I really was inspired by how much I have learned in the college setting, the resources I used to succeed in the college environment,” Ben says. He hopes to “help students advocate for themselves, making sure they do what they need to do to succeed. It’s not easy, but they’ve got to take one day at a time to break those obstacles.

“I’d like to help those students to keep going and never give up. Every student, no matter their differences are.”

Wide shot of Ben Wilner on the first floor of James Hall

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Family

Success For All: Support Systems at Rowan and Where to Find Them

Posted on September 20, 2019September 5, 2024by Christina Lynn

If your student has a documented disability, sending them to college without an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) may feel downright scary.

Lisa Wilner, parent of a College of Education graduate student in the Higher Education program, wants to flip the script.

“[Parents] need to understand that universities are not abandoning the IEP resources that your child had,” she said. “Your job is to teach your child to use the resources that exist and to find the proper university for your major that has the resources. Rowan has them.”

Lisa’s tips, gleaned from five years at Rowan with her son, Ben — who also earned his undergraduate degree in Music from the College of Performing Arts — offer a parent’s take into the university’s academic and wellness resources.

“If you have a student with a disability, you should register them with the Academic Success Center, even if you don’t think they’ll need it. If they think they can get extra test-taking time at the Testing Center, and they didn’t register and they ask the professor, they’re still going to have to take that test. It’s not like they can change it instantly. To register with the Academic Success Center, they need their senior year or [most recent] documentation of disability.”
“I highly recommend the College Compass [transition to college] program. Students come in early, before the rest of freshmen students, and they get familiar with the school. They get comfortable, before everything starts to happen. And whether your student is on the [autism] spectrum, has ADD, has emotional issues, no matter what challenges, it gives them a comfort zone within the school.”
“Register with Academic Success Center to work with an academic coach. I look at it as an insurance policy. If they never use it, that’s wonderful. But if they need it and you didn’t register them, you’re going to have issues because you can’t go backwards.”
“This is for all students — drop-in and math tutoring and writing labs, all students have [access to] those. We just have to teach our children to utilize the services.”
“[Students] have to build relationship with professors. Meet your professors. They have to know who you are by name. They have to go to their office hours. Get their email. When your student gets their accommodation letter, give it to the professor on day one, trust your student to do that.”
“Your student needs to utilize Blackboard and check their email. I get more calls from parents saying my son’s crashing because he never checked his email. Some students are really good about that, others aren’t. A lot of professors [also] communicate through smartphones.”
“The first two weeks of the semester and right before finals, your student will be freaking out. They will be a stress mess. So whatever their stress relief is, tell them to do it … it could be the gym or to just breathe. Rowan has something that is very unique — they have one counselor [at the Wellness Center] who specializes with working with students on the [autism] spectrum, ADD and such.”

Lisa Ann Wilner with son Ben Wilner at home — Lisa Ann Wilner with son Ben (left) at home.

Lisa’s final tips: “Your student knows more than you think they know. You just have to get them to advocate for themselves. At this point, we’re letting the student go. We’re their emotional support and their encouragement. Rowan is their scholastic support.”

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